Adderall shortage causing long-term problems for students with no end in sight

[ThatRobGuy]

Adderall shortage causing long-term problems for students with no end in sight

Parents and students are stuck in a web of confusion and frustration amid an Adderall shortage that has lasted more than a year, with grades slipping and caretakers driving for hours to fill prescr…

thehill.com

Parents and students are stuck in a web of confusion and frustration amid an Adderall shortage that has lasted more than a year, with grades slipping and caretakers driving for hours to fill prescriptions.

While ADHD can present in many forms, it commonly hurts children’s ability to concentrate in class and focus on their assignments, with the long-term effects showing up in academic performance.


“Their grades are suffering, they’re falling behind academically and they’re losing some motivation,” said Parker Houston, a pediatric psychologist and owner of Central Ohio Pediatric Behavioral Health who has been working with students on coping strategies during the shortage.

With little hope for relief in sight, professionals are urging better communication among doctors, parents and schools to create an environment that can best help students who are missing their medication.



I wonder how much of the shortage is being driven by people (who may not necessarily need it) getting prescriptions for it due to it gaining some swift popularity. (Similar to what we've seen recently with Ozempic...where there was an influx of people using it in order to "drop 5-10 lbs" instead of the usage being reserved for more serious cases of obesity and diabetes issues)

This piece from the NY Times is from 7 years ago, but the author touches on some important facets.

Generation Adderall (Published 2016)

Like many of my friends, I spent years using prescription stimulants to get through school and start my career. Then I tried to get off them.

www.nytimes.com

Its (then) growing popularity on campuses as well as clinicians loosening their diagnostic criteria for what constituted "Severity of ADHD worth medicating for" led to widespread use and some abuse (some of which involved people getting hooked on it)

It went from 5 million prescriptions issued in 2000, to 10 million by 2005, to 16 million by 2012, to 42 million by 2019.

And the sharp uptick didn't stop there.

It should also be noted that, according to more rigorous studies by the NIH, the prevalence rate of any level of ADHD (much less, severe enough that it needs chemical intervention instead of cognitive behavior approaches) is 6.1% among Children and 4.4% among adults. Numbers like that don't seem to reconcile cleanly with kinds of prescribing volume referenced above.

 

[AlexB23]

Adderall shortage causing long-term problems for students with no end in sight

Parents and students are stuck in a web of confusion and frustration amid an Adderall shortage that has lasted more than a year, with grades slipping and caretakers driving for hours to fill prescr…

thehill.com

Parents and students are stuck in a web of confusion and frustration amid an Adderall shortage that has lasted more than a year, with grades slipping and caretakers driving for hours to fill prescriptions.

While ADHD can present in many forms, it commonly hurts children’s ability to concentrate in class and focus on their assignments, with the long-term effects showing up in academic performance.


“Their grades are suffering, they’re falling behind academically and they’re losing some motivation,” said Parker Houston, a pediatric psychologist and owner of Central Ohio Pediatric Behavioral Health who has been working with students on coping strategies during the shortage.

With little hope for relief in sight, professionals are urging better communication among doctors, parents and schools to create an environment that can best help students who are missing their medication.



I wonder how much of the shortage is being driven by people (who may not necessarily need it) getting prescriptions for it due to it gaining some swift popularity. (Similar to what we've seen recently with Ozempic...where there was an influx of people using it in order to "drop 5-10 lbs" instead of the usage being reserved for more serious cases of obesity and diabetes issues)

This piece from the NY Times is from 7 years ago, but the author touches on some important facets.

Generation Adderall (Published 2016)

Like many of my friends, I spent years using prescription stimulants to get through school and start my career. Then I tried to get off them.

www.nytimes.com

Its (then) growing popularity on campuses as well as clinicians loosening their diagnostic criteria for what constituted "Severity of ADHD worth medicating for" led to widespread use and some abuse (some of which involved people getting hooked on it)

It went from 5 million prescriptions issued in 2000, to 10 million by 2005, to 16 million by 2012, to 42 million by 2019.

And the sharp uptick didn't stop there.

It should also be noted that, according to more rigorous studies by the NIH, the prevalence rate of any level of ADHD (much less, severe enough that it needs chemical intervention instead of cognitive behavior approaches) is 6.1% among Children and 4.4% among adults. Numbers like that don't seem to reconcile cleanly with kinds of prescribing volume referenced above.

That is why there are new alternatives to Adderall on the market, such as Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse). Some people abuse ADHD meds, which makes it bad for people that truly have ADHD. If only 5% of people have ADHD, then why would so many Americans need Adderall? Also, some people have such mild ADHD that medication isn't necessary, but in the US, we love medicating everything. More profit for the big pharma. For me personally, my ADHD is severe enough that medication is ideal, so I take meds.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

That is why there are new alternatives to Adderall on the market, such as Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse). Some people abuse ADHD meds, which makes it bad for people that truly have ADHD. If only 5% of people have ADHD, then why would so many Americans need Adderall? Also, some people have such mild ADHD that medication isn't necessary, but in the US, we love medicating everything. More profit for the big pharma. For me personally, my ADHD is severe enough that medication is ideal, so I take meds.

The fact that prescribing and usage rates are so different for that in the US vs. other developed countries should be the most prominent red flag.

The Lancet published a study evaluating the prescribing and usage patterns across a variety of countries in 2019 (measured in doses per day; per 1,000 children)

For the US, that number was whopping 110. In northern and western Europe, you're hard pressed to find a country where that number exceeds 25. Australia and New Zealand were at 29 and 17, respectively.

Boiled down to more simplistic terms, Americans are giving those types of meds to their kids at rates that are between 4x and 8x more than our counterparts in Western Europe and Oceania.

 

[AlexB23]

The fact that prescribing and usage rates are so different for that in the US vs. other developed countries should be the most prominent red flag.

The Lancet published a study evaluating the prescribing and usage patterns across a variety of countries in 2019 (measured in doses per day; per 1,000 children)

For the US, that number was whopping 110. In northern and western Europe, you're hard pressed to find a country where that number exceeds 25. Australia and New Zealand were at 29 and 17, respectively.

Boiled down to more simplistic terms, Americans are giving those types of meds to their kids a rate that are between 4x and 8x more than our counterparts in Western Europe and Oceania.

It seems the Western Europeans know what they are doing, when it comes to healthcare. We are so wasteful in the US. At least in the US, we don't live a two hour flight from Putin and his cronies, and have to pay $7/gal (€1.8/L) for gasoline.

 

[Paulos23]

That is why there are new alternatives to Adderall on the market, such as Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse). Some people abuse ADHD meds, which makes it bad for people that truly have ADHD. If only 5% of people have ADHD, then why would so many Americans need Adderall? Also, some people have such mild ADHD that medication isn't necessary, but in the US, we love medicating everything. More profit for the big pharma. For me personally, my ADHD is severe enough that medication is ideal, so I take meds.

My wife has ADHD. Most of the variants do not work for her, so we are currently going without for a while.

My son also has ADHD, but it isn't impacting his learning or behavior at school. Right now we are working on helping him deal with it rather than putting him on meds we can't get right now.

 

[AlexB23]

My wife has ADHD. Most of the variants do not work for her, so we are currently going without for a while.

My son also has ADHD, but it isn't impacting his learning or behavior at school. Right now we are working on helping him deal with it rather than putting him on meds we can't get right now.

My prayers that everything works out well. Sad how people abuse drugs, ruining it for people that actually need them.

 

[Paulos23]

It seems the Western Europeans know what they are doing, when it comes to healthcare. We are so wasteful in the US. At least in the US, we don't live a two hour flight from Putin and his cronies, and have to pay $7/gal (€1.8/L) for gasoline.

As a aside, I sometimes wish we had gas that high so we can make our communities more efficient. Having gotten a less efficient car that is more expensive to fill, make me more aware of the unnecessary trips I make.

 

[AlexB23]

As a aside, I sometimes wish we had gas that high so we can make our communities more efficient. Having gotten a less efficient car that is more expensive to fill, make me more aware of the unnecessary trips I make.

I actually agree. Luckily I don't drive (ADHD here). We need more walkable cities, such as those in Western Europe, so one could get groceries by walking 1/2 a mile (1 km) or less and pushing one of those foldable carts.

Here is an article about a walkable German town: Freiburg: Germany’s futuristic city set in a forest

 

[Nithavela]

It seems the Western Europeans know what they are doing, when it comes to healthcare. We are so wasteful in the US. At least in the US, we don't live a two hour flight from Putin and his cronies, and have to pay $7/gal (€1.8/L) for gasoline.

1.8 Euro per liter is actually the gas price in germany atm, at least when you catch a cheap time.

 

[AlexB23]

1.8 Euro per liter is actually the gas price in germany atm, at least when you catch a cheap time.

Yeah. That is the data that I was using.

 

[Nithavela]

Yeah. That is the data that I was using.

Ah, I misunderstood. How much money do you pay for gas per month?

 

[AlexB23]

Ah, I misunderstood. How much money do you pay for gas per month?

$0. I don't drive.

 

[SharonRiebe]

Adderall shortage causing long-term problems for students with no end in sight

Parents and students are stuck in a web of confusion and frustration amid an Adderall shortage that has lasted more than a year, with grades slipping and caretakers driving for hours to fill prescr…

thehill.com

Parents and students are stuck in a web of confusion and frustration amid an Adderall shortage that has lasted more than a year, with grades slipping and caretakers driving for hours to fill prescriptions.

While ADHD can present in many forms, it commonly hurts children’s ability to concentrate in class and focus on their assignments, with the long-term effects showing up in academic performance.


“Their grades are suffering, they’re falling behind academically and they’re losing some motivation,” said Parker Houston, a pediatric psychologist and owner of Central Ohio Pediatric Behavioral Health who has been working with students on coping strategies during the shortage.

With little hope for relief in sight, professionals are urging better communication among doctors, parents and schools to create an environment that can best help students who are missing their medication.

I also have it, but I don't take Adderall and try my best to live without taking any meds. It's hard, and I'm also a student, and sometimes it's a nightmare for me when it comes to homework. Some time ago I started using https://edubirdie.com/biology-help and some other services because it's very hard for me to finish writing tasks. And I don't want to miss deadlines and get in trouble, so when I can't finish such tasks myself, I prefer using professional help.

I wonder how much of the shortage is being driven by people (who may not necessarily need it) getting prescriptions for it due to it gaining some swift popularity. (Similar to what we've seen recently with Ozempic...where there was an influx of people using it in order to "drop 5-10 lbs" instead of the usage being reserved for more serious cases of obesity and diabetes issues)

This piece from the NY Times is from 7 years ago, but the author touches on some important facets.

Generation Adderall (Published 2016)

Like many of my friends, I spent years using prescription stimulants to get through school and start my career. Then I tried to get off them.

www.nytimes.com

Its (then) growing popularity on campuses as well as clinicians loosening their diagnostic criteria for what constituted "Severity of ADHD worth medicating for" led to widespread use and some abuse (some of which involved people getting hooked on it)

It went from 5 million prescriptions issued in 2000, to 10 million by 2005, to 16 million by 2012, to 42 million by 2019.

And the sharp uptick didn't stop there.

It should also be noted that, according to more rigorous studies by the NIH, the prevalence rate of any level of ADHD (much less, severe enough that it needs chemical intervention instead of cognitive behavior approaches) is 6.1% among Children and 4.4% among adults. Numbers like that don't seem to reconcile cleanly with kinds of prescribing volume referenced above.

That's a new information for me. But I'm sure that there are alternatives, adderall can't be the only thing that helps students and people with ADHD.

 

[Nithavela]

That's a new information for me. But I'm sure that there are alternatives, adderall can't be the only thing that helps students and people with ADHD.

There's always bribing your teacher with money or sex, as well as employing ghost writers.

 

[Brihaha]

My prayers that everything works out well. Sad how people abuse drugs, ruining it for people that actually need them.

It is sad. When I worked in a printing factory parents would steal their kid's Adderall and share with buddies. This is a huge problem in America too.

That pandemic was rough on the midwest and Appalachian regions in West Virginia. Drug abuse and overdoses increased in many of those areas. I know that meth problems are still persistent in parts of the midwest. I think West Virginia overdoses were mostly from opiates though. With the pandemic subsiding these levels have finally begun to decrease some.

 

[AlexB23]

It is sad. When I worked in a printing factory parents would steal their kid's Adderall and share with buddies. This is a huge problem in America too.

That pandemic was rough on the midwest and Appalachian regions in West Virginia. Drug abuse and overdoses increased in many of those areas. I know that meth problems are still persistent in parts of the midwest. I think West Virginia overdoses were mostly from opiates though. With the pandemic subsiding these levels have finally begun to decrease some.

Yeah, this problem is probably the worst in the US. Hopefully the politicians can figure out a solution.

 

[Jimmy It]

Adderall not a cure all and while it may be an easier answer it is not always the best treatment.

ScientificAmerican


As of 2007, 2.7 million U.S. children and adolescents with ADHD were being treated with stimulant drugs. But new research reveals that these drugs are not necessarily the panacea they have been thought to be. Psychologist Claire Advokat of Louisiana State University has been looking at the effects of stimulant medications in college students to see what improves with medication and what does not. As expected, she found that people diagnosed with ADHD had lower grades and ACT (American College Testing) scores; they also dropped more classes than their peers. But she also found that these issues were not improved by stimulant medication treatment. Instead, Advokat’s new findings indicate that the ADHD students naturally divided into those who had good study habits and those who did not, regardless of treatment. If students had good study habits, they did not need the medication to bolster their grades. It is not that medication has no effect, Advokat hypothesizes that "it may be that the medications can help, not in helping you remember, but in helping you form the good study habits" necessary for academic improvement. This outcome suggests that if ADHD patients could learn good study habits early on, medication could become less necessary.

Other research has examined the role of behavioral interventions not only for school-age children, but also for their parents. Parents of children with ADHD tend to exhibit more parenting-related stress and difficulties than do those of non-afflicted offspring. After training parents in stress management and giving them behavioral tools to help their children, psychologist Bill Pelham of Florida International University and his colleagues saw significant improvement in their children's ADHD-related behavior, such as the frequency of classroom disturbances.

Adderall vs. Methamphetamine: What’s The Difference?

The Effects of Adderall on Your Body

 

[BCP1928]

So we actually have to drug 10% of our kids so they can function in a school environment? Something must be wrong with those kids, all right.
But nothing is wrong with the school environment. Oh, certainly not.